Push for Mugabe's arrest over Gukurahundi

Published: 13 February 2018 (400 Views)

MDC Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Pilate Ndebele yesterday threatened a solo protest against police for allegedly refusing to charge former President Robert Mugabe over his involvement in the Gukurahundi atrocities.

Ndebele claimed officials at Bulawayo Central Police Station last week refused to open a docket against Mugabe over the 1980s mass killings.

He said they referred him to western region prosecutor-general Martha Cheda.

"I wanted to open a docket against Mugabe to cause his arrest over the Gukurahundi massacres, but the police officers said they had no powers to take up the case. I insisted that they open a docket and they also insisted that their hands were tied," he said.

"They also asked if I had any evidence about Mugabe's involvement in Gukurahundi, and I told them other than the several mass graves in Matabeleland, his admission that it was a moment of madness was evidence enough," Ndebele told Southern Eye.

Ndebele is among several activists that have been piling pressure on government to deal with the Gukurahundi massacres that left over 20 000 civilians dead, according to a report by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently signed into law the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill to deal with the issue, among other past human rights violations.

Mnangagwa has also been sued by pressure groups to force him to release the Chihambakwe report that contains findings of a commission of inquiry into the disturbances.

Mnangagwa recently revealed that traditional leaders will be dealing with Gukurahundi to find lasting closure to it, but Ndebele said he wanted Mugabe's arrest.

"I have not yet been to the office of the Prosecutor-General, but I will be going back to the police to file a docket against Mugabe over Gukurahundi. Having Mugabe arrested is one way of finding closure to the issue. I will hold a solo demonstration if they refuse again to open a docket against the former President," Ndebele said.